Last minutes of the presidential debate between Biden and Trump on CNN

Employment, inflation, the economy, health and crime are some of the issues that most interest Hispanics, according to the Hispanic Association UnidoUS in its most recent survey, conducted in November 2023. However, they are not new concerns. Every four years, when the country prepares for presidential elections, these issues come to the fore and the memory of what past leaders did or did not do revives the discussion.

This year is no exception. The impact of the policies implemented by Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden during their governments has been significant for the Hispanic community in the United States. From economic measures to changes in immigration policy, both mandates have left a deep and varied mark on this community.

These are some of the actions of these leaders that have had a positive and negative impact on Hispanic people.

Trump: Controversies and Achievements

Economic boost

The Trump administration was a period of economic growth from 2017 to 2021, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first years of his administration, the economy grew and the unemployment rate among Hispanics reached a record low of 3.9% in September 2019.

However, the pandemic caused a massive increase in unemployment, which reached 18.9% in April 2020 and stabilized at 10.2% in September. Some experts, such as Florida International University (FIU) professor and political analyst Eduardo Gamarra, assure that the favorable trends in employment began under Barack Obama, so Trump cannot fully take credit for these achievements. “This is partly true, because this pattern began at the beginning of the century and accelerated with Obama, and obviously, the rate of Hispanic workers increased after the administration,” he said.

Jovita Carranza, former administrator of the federal Small Business Administration (SBA), said in an opinion column in the Miami Herald in June 2020 that tax reform implemented under her administration reduced taxes for many Americans, including Latinos, and that support for small businesses particularly benefited Latino entrepreneurs. She said that, before the pandemic, the median income of Latino businesses increased significantly and that support for minority entrepreneurs contributed to Latino poverty rates reaching historic lows during her administration.

The signing of the agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC) was welcomed by many Latin business people. The agreement improves business opportunities for Hispanic companies in the region, especially in sectors such as the automotive industry.

Immigration policy and rhetoric

Trump’s administration was marked by highly controversial immigration policies. The separation of families at the border, the elimination of DACA protections – the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program – and the implementation of policies such as “Remain in Mexico”, which required immigrants seeking asylum to remain in Mexico until their hearing date in the United States Immigration Court generated outrage and fear among the Latino community. And although DACA is temporarily in effect, due to decisions taken in various courts, it has undergone some changes. The most important of them is that the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is prohibited from granting new petitions and does not approve petitions from new applicants. Currently, only previously granted permits are renewed.

These measures were seen by many as a symbol of exclusion and hostility. However, Trump’s rhetoric also played an important role. His derogatory comments about Mexican immigrants and other minorities created a climate of tension and distrust, which negatively affected the relationship between his administration and the Latino community.

Impact of the pandemic

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated economic and social hardships for Latinos. Although unemployment in the community had reached historic lows before the pandemic, the health crisis has led to a sharp increase in unemployment, disproportionately impacting the community.

During the pandemic, the US$2 trillion fiscal stimulus package left out many families with mixed immigration status, negatively impacting many Latinos who could not benefit from economic aid during a time of crisis. However, there were also many other Hispanic families who were favored, increasing Trump’s popularity in some areas of the country.

“For example, much of Donald Trump’s popularity among local Hispanics in Miami is due to those large subsidies during the Trump administration,” Professor Gamarra said.

Biden: Promises and Reality

Economic and social change

Joe Biden took office in 2021 with a focus on economic recovery and social welfare, especially after the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan was one of the pillars of his administration that sought to provide economic relief to millions of families, including Hispanics, particularly with the expansion of the child tax credit.

In the fall of 2023, Biden launched Bidenomics, a campaign to highlight the general economic measures adopted during his mandate, which he assured have benefited Hispanics. The campaign states that investments in education, aid to schools, and scholarships have also benefited young Latinos.

However, Gamarra says that despite good general economic health, inflation and the high cost of housing have created criticism and discontent among the Latino community.

Immigration measures

One of Biden’s most important commitments to the Latino community has been protecting immigrants. In the first months of his mandate, he granted temporary protected status (TPS) to thousands of Venezuelans and extended this benefit to citizens of Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.

However, the immigration issue remains a difficult area. Among other things, the administration faces a significant challenge due to concerns about the negative effects of mass immigration on receiving communities. “Did he reverse Trump’s immigration policies? Yes, first of all. Did you manage to reunite families? Yes, he tried not to separate them. But at the same time, a very serious problem arose as the administration did not stop mass migration, but rather accelerated it,” said Eduardo Gamarra.

And precisely on this issue, one of the most controversial at the national level, there were recent measures and proposals by both. On the one hand, President Biden ordered an executive action in mid-June that would allow some undocumented spouses and children of US citizens to apply for legal permanent residence without leaving the United States. A measure that could benefit up to 550,000 undocumented immigrants.

Just days later and in contrast to his anti-immigration rhetoric during the election campaign, former President Trump proposed “automatically” granting green cards to foreigners who graduate from an American university during his participation in a podcast.

Persistent challenges

Inflation and the high cost of housing have caused discontent among Latinos, affecting their quality of life. In addition, the lack of resources at the border and in immigration services remains a serious problem. A shortage of judges and federal agents due to cuts by the previous administration has made immigration management difficult, hindering the processing of applications.

The power of the Latino vote

The impact of Trump and Biden’s policies on the Hispanic community reflects their diverse perspectives. Faced with challenges in managing immigration and inflation, Biden has focused his efforts on economic recovery and protecting immigrants. On his part, Trump prioritized tax cuts and economic regulation, though his immigration policies and divisive rhetoric caused discontent among a segment of the population.

The Hispanic community currently plays a key role in the American political landscape, and its needs and concerns remain a focal point for any government. Therefore, just months before the presidential election in the United States, Trump and Biden, aware of the importance of the Latino vote, are trying to woo this large segment of the population with various proposals.